Filling clamping and parting mechanism for shifting shuttle-box looms



- 1,628,308 E. A. CUNNIFF FILLING CLAMPING AND PARTING MECHANISM FOR SHIFTING SHUTTLE BOX LOOMS Filed Oct. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lnvenTor.

Edward A.CunniFF 1,628 303 1927' E. A. CUNNIFF FILLING CLAMPING AND PARTINC MECHANISM FOR SHIFTING SHUTTLE BOX LOOMS Filed Oct. 9, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i g I Inve Edward A. hiFF MMwW EDWARD A. CUNNIFF, OF WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER GOR- nirso sr PORATION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FILLING GLAMPING AND PABTING MECHANISM FOR SHIFTING SHUTTLEBOZ LOOMS- Application filed October 29, 1925. Serial No. 65,585.

make the fabric salable, and it is diflicult, if

not impossible, to remove them by the usual singeing operationsand it is laborious and expensive to remove themby hand. In a prior Patent, No. 1,514,603, November 11,

. 1925, I provided means, acting automatically during the weaving operation, by which such loops were first severed and then the ends cut off close to the selvage. In an application filed concurrently herewith, I have disclosed and claimed broadly means for preventing the formation of such loops along the selvage and I have disclosed a preferred form of construction suitable for a shifting shuttle box loom having any number of boxes and a construction which will operate upon a shift of these boxes in either direction.

The present invention is subsidiary to' the broad invention of the said co-pending application and'its main object is to provide means for preventing the formation of the loops in question along the selvage, which means is particularly adapted to a 2 x 1 drop box loom.

The object of the invention is further to provide filling clamping and parting mechanism located in a fixed position adjacent the selvage on the drop box side of a shifting shuttle box loom and to cause this mechanism, after a shuttle is shifted from active to inactive position, to seize or clamp the filling extending from the selvage to the inactive shuttle and to part this filling between the selvage and the point at which it is seized or clamped.

The object of the invention is further to provide a mechanism for this purpose in a shifting shuttle box loomhaving a plurality of boxes at one side and a single box at the other side in which the operation of the clamping mechanism is controlled by the boxing of either shuttle at the single box side.

ly to the prevention of the formation of loops along the selvage which would otherwise result in the weaving operation upon the shifting of the boxes in a shifting shut tle box loom, and since the construction and operation of shifting shuttle box looms are well known and familiar to those skilled in .the art, and since the invention is applicable to a wide range of loom constructions with the application of ordinary mechani cal skill, it is necessary here to illustrate and describe only those features of an ordinary type of shifting shuttle box loom sufiicient to disclose in connection therewith a simple and preferred form of construction embodying the present invention. 1

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan View artially broken away of a portion of a shi ting shuttle box loom of a wellknown type with a preferred form of the present invention embodied therein.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of a portion of such a loom particularly with reference to the filling clamping and parting mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a rear view, broken away at the center, of the lay of the loom when provided with a two-shuttle shifting mechanism at one side and a single box at the other side, or what is known as a 2 x 1 type of loom.

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation with the filling clamping and parting mechanism shown in Fig. 1 and of the breast beam in cross section on the line 4.-4.

Fig. 5 is a detail in side elevation of a portion of one of the clamping blades.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the section taken in different vertical planes through the lay and reed.

iii

The preferred form of construction embodying the invention and illustratedherein, while in some respects particularly adapted to a 2 x 1 shifting shuttle box loom, is in many respects applicable for use in a'loom having any plurality of boxes at the one side.

In the construction illustrated. the lay 1 supported by the usual swords 2 having the usual hand rail 3 and reed 4 is shown as provided at one side with a shifting shuttle box mechanism comprising the two boxes 5 and 6 shifted by the usuallifter rod 7 and provided at the other side with a single box 8. Since the mechanism for shifting the boxes forms no part of the present invention and may be of any suitable type. it is not herein illustrated. The lay is operated to swing forward and backward or toward and away from the breast beam 9 in the usual manner.

In the construction illustrated, the clamping and parting elements for the filling are separate instrumentalities separately operated, but this is simply for convenience and any suitable arrangement may be employed within the scope of the invention.

The filling-parting elements are shown as an ordinary type of device such as is embodied in a thread cutting temple. Such a temple 10 is shown provided with the usual shank 11 sliding in the stand 12 adjustably secured to the breast beam 9 by the screws 13. The temple is yieldingly projected rearwardly by a spring, not shown, in the stand 12 in accordance with the usual practice and a heel 14 projecting downwardly from the temple, when struck by the lay, causes the temple to move forwardly to an extent determined by the character of the material woven.

The parting mechanism, which is shown as of the type .disclosed in the patent to Stimpson, No. 1,366,034, January 18, 1921, is mounted in the temple closely adjacent the path of the selvage l5 and comprises a fixed cutter blade 16 at the rear face of the temple and a hook-shaped blade 17 cooperating with the fixed blade and forming part of a movable cutter member 18 rocking vertically and. sliding longitudinally in a slot in the temple. This cutter member 18 is provided with a depending heel 19. A spring 20, engaging at its lower end a stud 21 on the heel 19 and at its upper end a stud 22 on the temple, acts to maintain the movable cutter member in its rearward open projected position,'as shown in Fig. 4. \Vhen the lay heats up, it strikes the heel 19, rocking the movable cutter member downwardly and carrying it forwardly so that any filling extending into its field of action is caught between the hooked blade 17 and the fixed blade 16 and severed close to the selvage, all in a well-known.and familiar manner.

The mechanism for seizing, retaining or clamping the filling extending to a filling carrier or shuttle, which has been shifted to inactive position, is also positioned adjacent the selvage and close to the parting mechanism. In the particular form of the invention herein illustrated, this clamping mechanism is located with its field of action in the rear of the fell, but with the clamping members normally closed. The opening and closing of the clamping mechanism. in this form of construction, is controlled by the boxing of the shuttle at the opposite side of the loom with the result that this mechanism is opened and closed at alternate picks. Consequently when the shuttle boxes shift, the filling extending from the selvage' to the inactive shuttle is carried up against the clamping mechanism, but is not seized on this beat-up. As soon, however, as the shuttle brought into action has completed its first pick and is boxed at. the opposite side of the loom. the clamping mecli'ai'iism opens at thecolmlusion of the beat up, the filling extending to the inactive shuttle slides into the held of action of the clamping mechanism and as the lay begins its retreat, the clamping mechanism closes, seizing the tilling and retaining it. The character of the clamping actio'n efi'ected by this mechanism is such that the filling is retained thereby, notwithstanding the continued subsequent opening and closing of the clamping members. l urthermore, it will be noted that the clamping mechanism is always closed when a shuttle is brought into action and until it completes its first pick.

In the construction illustrated, the clamping mechanism is conveniently mounted upon an arm 23 securedalongside and ad- -jacent the selvage next to the parting mechanism. This arm at its rearward end is flared and provided with a central notch or recess into which the filling is guided by the flared end. This arm is conveniently secured to the temple by extending the studs 24 upon which are mounted the temple rolls so that these studs support the arm in'position.

The clamping mechanism proper comprises two fixed blades 25 and 26 with an interposed movable blade 27 operating after the manner of shears. The fixed blades 25 and 26 are the same in construction and are preferably made of some tough but relatively soft material such as fibre board. A portion of one of these blades is illustrated in Fig. 6 and it will be noted that the forward end is provided at the top edge with fine notches 28 sloping downwardly and rearwardly. The movable blade 27 is preferably made of metal such as steel. The blades are mounted upon a screw stud 29 extending into the arm 23 with a spring 30 seated beneath the head of the stud 29 and acting to press -the blades together and against the arm 23. A second stud 31 connects the forward end of the fixed blades 25 and 26, extends through a large hole in the movable blade 27 and into the arm 23, thus holding the fixed blades firmlyin position. wardly and is provided with an upwardly extending arm 32 having atthe top a laterally extending stud A helical spring 34 is connected at its lower end at'35 to the movable blade and at its upper end to an arm 36 ad'ustably secured by means of a set screw 3 to the top of the temple. This spring acts, therefore, to maintain the movable blade normally in closed position and consequently to maintain the clamping mechanism closed.

The control of the opening and closing movement of the clamping mechanism, in the preferred construction illustrated, is effected from the binder 38 of the box at the opposite side of the loom. A shaft 39 is mounted in bearing brackets '40 on the hand rail 3 and carries in line with the stud 33 an actuator in the form of a radially projecting arm 41 having a segmental head 42,-while at the other end it carries an arm 43 projecting down immediately in front of the binder 38. A helical spring 44 on the shaft 39, secured at one end to one of.- the below the stud 33 and the bearings 40 and at the other end to a collar 45 on the shaft, acts yieldingly to turn the shaft so'as normally tomaintain the actuator binder 38. Consequently when a shuttle enters the box at the side of the loom oppo site the-drop boxes, the binder 38 will more forwardly and rockthe shaft 39 against the action of the spring 44 and raise the actuator 41 and 42 into the path of the stud 33. The parts are so proportioned that as the lay concludes its beat-up, the movable clamping member 27 will momentarily be swung to open position and immediately closed as the lay retracts. As this opening and closing movement is controlled by the binder of the single shuttle box, inthe construction illustrated, it will be seen that the first pick succeeding a shift of the boxes must be completed in order to clamp the filling running to the shuttle which is shifted from active to inactive position."

In the o eration of the clamping mechanism the fi ling is crowded by the movable blade 27 down in between the fixed blades 25 and 26. The filling will usually stay in this position when the clamping mechanism is, open because there s no strain on the filling sufiicient to pull it out of its crimpcd position between the fixed blades. The hold upon the filling is aided by the fact that the fixed blades are of fibre board or some similar soft material and preferably also by the serrations or slots 28 into which the filling The movable blade 27 extends for-,

arm 42 against the tending to the shuttle rendered inactive has been seized by the clamping mechanism, the portion extending fro i the clamping mechanism to the fell is rought, by the weaving operation, within the field of action of the parting mechanism carried by the temple, already described, and is parted thereby.

The filling end held by the clamping mechanism is retained thereby until a shift of the shuttle boxes takes place to bring the shuttle carrying this filling again to active position. \Vhile the clamping mechanism is open and closed at every other pick, in the particular construction illustrated, this does not disturb the retention of the filling by the clamping mechanism, as already pointed out. Furthermore, when the now active shuttle starts on its first pick, the clampingmechanism 'is closed and is not opened until this pick is completed.

The invention thus presents a simple and effective type of mechanism for preventing the formation of the undesirable loops along the selvage and a mechanism which may be readily added to existing loom constructions.

Having thus described the invention, what is 'claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A shifting shuttle box loom comprising filling clamping and parting mechanism located adjacent'the selvage on the drop box side, and means acting upon the completion of the first pick succeeding a shift of the boxes to cause said mechanism to clamp the filling'running to a shuttle shifted from active to inactive position and to part said filling between the selvagc and the point at which it is clamped.

2. A shifting shuttle box loom comprising filling clamping mechanism located adjacent the selvage on the drop box side, means acting when the shuttle is boxed 011 the opposite side to open the filling clamping means upon the beat-up and thereafter to close the filling clamping means to clamp any filling extending from the selvage to a shuttle in inactive position and means to part any filling thus clamped between the selvage and the point at which it is clamped.

3. A shifting shuttle box loom comprising filling clamping means located adjacent the selvage on the drop box side, a spring acting to maintain said clamping mechanism closed, an actuator carried by the lay and the selvage to a shuttle in inactive position is carried into the clamping means and then clamped thereby as thelay retracts.

4. A shifting shuttle box loom comprising the construction defined in claim 3, together with filling parting mechanism located between the selvage and the clamping mechainism and actuated upon each beat-up of the A shifting shuttle box loom comprising filling clamping mechanism located adjacent the selvage on the drop box side and positioned to receive within its field of action any filling extending toa shuttle boxed on the said side, and means acting at the conclusion of each beat-up following the pick to the opposite side of the loom to open, and directly thereafter to close, the clamping portion of said mechanism whereby the tilling extending to a shuttle remaining boxed, or in inactive position, during said be'at-ups will be seized and retained by the clamping I mechanism.

6. A shifting shuttle box loom comprising the construction defined in claim 5. together with means for parting the filling thus retained by the clamping mechanism between the selvage and the clamping mechanism.

7. A shifting shuttle box loom comprising filling clamping means located adjacent the selvage on the drop box side, a spring acting to maintain said clamping mechanism closed, an arm projecting from the clamping mechanism and acting when moved to open the clamping mechanism against the tension of the said spring, an actuator carried by the Ja and held normally out of the path of the said arm, and means for moving said actuator into the path of the said arm when the shuttle is boxed at the opposite side of the loom thus to cause the actuator to open the clamping means as the lay concludes the beat-up, whereby any filling extending from the selvage to a shuttle in inactive position is carried into the-clamping means and then clamped thereby as the lay retracts. I

8. A shifting shuttle box loom comprising the construction defined in claim 7, together with filling parting mechanism located between the selvage and the clamping mechanism and actuated upon each beat-up of the lay.

9. A shifting shuttle box loom comprising the construction defined in claim 7 in which the means for moving the actuator comprises a shaft journalled on the lay carrying the actuator at one end and having atthe' other end an arm engaging and moved by the binder of the shuttle box.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWARD A. CUNNI'FF. 

